How did you get here?
How did you get to this point in your career today? We all follow a path and that path might be wiggly or straight, but your path is never defined by you alone. Every path features people, advice, learning, development and opportunities that help us on our way.
If you want to improve your leadership capabilities, a useful exercise is to stop and reflect on what or who has helped you reach this position. Appreciating what you’ve learned and showing gratitude for the opportunities you have been given and the people that have shaped you, gets you in the right mindset to keep learning and make the future you even better.
Observing leadership behaviour
In my early career I remember watching my colleagues from a distance and thinking about what I would and would not take from their behaviours in the future. There were people I admired and chose to learn from, and others whose actions or behaviours I knew I would leave behind and never repeat. These were the respective legacies of the good and not so good leaders I worked with.
A memorable training course
At the same time, I remember attending a brilliant training course and loving it. I was a receptionist in a 3-star hotel, and the course was a Train the Trainer programme. That course had a huge influence on my career and still does today. When I look back, that was the moment I realised I was pretty good at helping other people to learn - and I really enjoyed doing it.
It was at that moment I also realised how passionate I felt about looking after our customers. I felt strongly about treating them well and providing an exceptional standard of service. This was something some of my colleagues were not so good at.
Focusing on learning and development
Fast-forward through several years of life, customer and team experiences (which, looking back, I could have done better at), and I found myself studying for a degree in HR Management. My studies included learning and development, which you might not be surprised to learn I particularly enjoyed!
An ‘Outstanding’ award win
Back at work, I had progressed to the role of Hotel Manager. I was selected from 80,000 employees and 100 winners to win an award for ‘Being Outstanding’. To be chosen from all those colleagues was truly humbling. It dawned on me I was pretty good at my job.
And while I enjoyed it, I wasn’t content with being the hotel manager; what I really wanted was to work in learning and development.
A dream start to my learning and development career
When the perfect role came up at The Savoy, London, I applied, interviewed, and got the job of Training Manager. The experience was everything I wished for, full of learning, and opportunities to connect with the most wonderful people. One of them was my colleague, Chris, who I remember fondly for keeping me on my toes with his consistent, honest feedback!
Developing effectiveness
Next came Jumeirah. I spent almost seven incredible years with the hotel group as their Learning & Development Manager. Everything I learned I went on to share with others. Most of my work was based around Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Each time I delivered the principles, it deepened and cemented my understanding. Covey’s habits now run through my veins and I use them almost every day in life and work.
Dedicated to developing exceptional people
Zest for Life is the final stop on my career pathway. Over the last 15 years, I have been on a mission to make the UK renowned for exceptional customer service. It’s impossible to create the conditions for this without the support of exceptional leaders and delivery from their teams.
A key thing I’ve learned is that many people don’t have the opportunity or access to amazing learning and development support in their roles. These are the people I focus on when designing our Zest for Life Exceptional development programmes. Above all, I want them to be learning that’s available and accessible to everyone.
Exceptional leadership is a skill. And skills can be learned.
Exceptional Leadership Makes Sense is going online
Which brings me to the present day and the launch of our online facilitated leadership development programme. Every step of my career path has led me here: all the learning I’ve done and delivered, the books I’ve read, the advice and feedback I’ve received, and the leaders I have observed. Throughout all of this, I have learned that when you get the support you need, you can develop the skills of an exceptional leader.
Our new online leadership development programme is accessible, affordable and achievable for all. We launch on 24th September 2026 with the first of three learning pathways: Your Leadership Legacy. Each pathway consists of six 90-minute online sessions. If you’d like to join us, you can find all the details and booking information here. For any questions about how it works and what you will learn, book a complimentary chat with Sally Prescott.